Hello. New T40 owner, Opinions Questions and Rants

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nutjobox · #1 Post by **nutjobox** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:09 pm

model 2373 c8u or something like that. $400 shipped off ebay, not bad in my opinion.

this is my first time ever even seeing a thinkpad, and my first impression is wow! the laptop is very professionally done, i can see why people love them so much. i dont have the fancy screen, the resolution of 1024x768 doesnt bother me but the viewing-angles do. i had hoped to use this laptop for movie/tv watching, but now that i see the screen i think im best off using the s-video pot

rants... no bluetooth. big mistake on my part, i knew i wanted it yet i thought i would be ok without it. i dont like the usb key sticking out the side, however, there is a new adapter comming out called 'mogo mouse' and it has a bluetooth adapter that is about the size of a thumbnail! surely a purchase for me when it hits the shelves this spring.

question- is the cisco wireless adapter good enough? i see one on ebay for $25 shipped, i think i might bite. i know enough to stay away from the intel pro adapters. any other suggestions? im also planning on just 1gig of ram. i dont play games on this so i dont see a reason for 2gigs.

thanks and aloha!

#2 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:00 pm

To avoid problems, make sure that any internal wireless adapter card you get is IBM branded (ie: it has a FRU part number on it). Note that IBM branded several cards (Intel, Atheros, Cisco, etc.) If you get a non-IBM branded network card, your laptop will not boot. There is a workaround, but you have to perform the 1802 hack. Search this forum on 1802 for more information regarding it.

nutjobox · #3 Post by **nutjobox** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:25 pm

thank you, im glad i didnt order yet. its looking like about a $50 card, all in all with the upgrades i want this will be a $800 laptop. at least ill have the exact parts i want

Temetka · #4 Post by **Temetka** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:01 pm

Congrats on the machine. Atleast when you are done with adding things, you will have the machine you really wanted.

#5 Post by **underclocker** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:02 pm

Congrats on joining the club. Watch out for addiction. You can't just stop at one ThinkPad!

The Bluetooth upgrade is very easy, I just sold a spare BT adapter for $35 (I only had one). A generic antenna is a couple of dollars or you can use the WiFi AUX antenna from the WiFi adapter. Many have done both.

IBM recently had used IBM/Atheros A/B/G mini-pci adapters for sale for $18.

If you are patient, the upgrades won't cost much.

nutjobox · #6 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:00 am

are you meaning i can add internal bluetooth still? where do they go?

#7 Post by **underclocker** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:50 am

It's never to early to learn about the search function on this forum. Just select Search at the top of the screen and look for Bluetooth, you can limit your search with a drop down menu to just the T4x forum.

You'll find plenty of info with part numbers.

Good luck.

nutjobox · #8 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:10 pm

you know, it is not my intention to displease anyone here. knowing that these type of forums have search functions, and knowing it would be much faster to find an answer through the search tool, i tried. i came up with 2,000+ listings for 'bluetooth' and 5,000+ listings for "bluetooth t40". Furthermore, many of the threads end in the same manner "use the search" with only brings be back right to where i was to start with.

If any of my questions make anyone uncomfortable, i do not wish for them to reply. I would much rather have that person have a better day by ignoring my posts. I also sometimes wonder why these are open forums, becase i regularly see the answers "go ask google" or "use search". If this is the answer to all questions, why not just close the forum up and let everyone go by search?

Maybe this is just a forum for advanced thinkpad users. If so, thats my mistake. I can go ask a generic computer forum and take my chances there i suppose.

Temetka · #9 Post by **Temetka** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:04 pm

Please ignore those people who constantly prattle on about the search function.

Yes it there.

No it does not always provide the answer.

Secondly this is a community dedicated to Thinkpads. Therefore, IMO, we should be striving to provide answers. It would make things easier if people could just answer the question instead of pointing elsewhere. However that mentality pervades nearly every forum I am a member of. You get used to it and move on.

I do know my T41p shipped with bluetooth. I know that doesn't help much except for the fact the T4x series machine are BT capable. It shouldn't be too hard to add it to yours. Now whether you need a BT antenna or not, I do not know.

nutjobox · #10 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:38 pm

thank you

I remember readin on another forum that the thinkpad's bluetooth is soldered right into the mainboard, therefore you cannot upgrade to bluetooth internally unless you use the pcmcia slot. Thats the only reason i ask, because it is conflicting info for me now.

I have IBM's clearance page bookmarked, im waiting for them to re-stock some used a/b/g cards. I dont need the wifi right away, it would just be a nice thing to have. However, bluetooth would be very very handy. I really made a mistake not getting a laptop with it, but oh well.

i may just wait for this to come out

\http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engad ... ender2.jpg

mogo also has a credit-card sized mouse that fits into and charges via the pcmcia slot, looks extremely cool. that bt adapter wouldnt stick out at all, it would almost be like an intergrated solution.

#11 Post by **Kyocera** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:17 pm

Temetka wrote:Please ignore those people who constantly prattle on about the search function.

Let's not, new users can find a wealth of information and may get the question answered, some post's have been answered many tmes. Underclocker s trying to help , that's what he does.

#12 Post by **rkawakami** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:30 pm

nutjobox wrote:i came up with 2,000+ listings for 'bluetooth' and 5,000+ listings for "bluetooth t40".

Searching IS an art form. In this case when you get MORE listings when adding additional search terms, then what you are doing is performing an OR search. In your case, you want an AND search. Simply click the "Search for all terms" box, restrict the search to the T4x conference and then you narrow down the hits to 95.

Granted, it's still a lot of stuff to wade through, but it's a lot more managable than 5000+.

nutjobox · #13 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:47 pm

ive done a lot of posting on other forums, and i rarely tell someone who asks a specific question to go search.

for one, if im going to take the time to post, i might as well post the answer. telling someone to search, to me, is patronizing. people come to forums because they want specific answers, and 90% of the time their answer does not have a specific post about it. rather, that answer is buried inside a 13-page long thread that didnt even start on the their subject to begin with.

i know i only have a couple posts here, and there is no reason for anyone to think i know about forum searches- but wouldnt that make it even more-so apparent that i need a specific answer?

Temetka · #14 Post by **Temetka** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:48 pm

Or it's just easier to ask.

"There is no stupid question, but the one that is not asked."

Really, why should it matter if it was asked before? What if someone searches, digs up an old post from a long time ago and revives the thread to ask? Then everyone prattles on about zombie threads and whatnot.

The best solution is to search first and ask second. However it seems that some don't even like being asked. "Go back and revise your search terms" they say. Wouldn't it just me easier to simply answer the question again? When my friends and family ask me something, I tell them. I don't make them go elsewhere.

nutjobox · #15 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:58 pm

Temetka wrote: What if someone searches, digs up an old post from a long time ago and revives the thread to ask? Then everyone prattles on about zombie threads and whatnot.

i was just going to say that! it does happen, way too often. in fact, i just dug up a thread from last summer, lets see if i get that very reply...

i work construction, and i know all about the 'theres no stupid questions but the ones that arent asked' bit. as true as that saying is, nobody ever seems to hold onto it. when i start a new job with a boss, i always tell them i will ask stupid questions- no matter what. all of them say, "thats good, there are no dumb ?'s" . then, 3 weeks later most of them will tell you "just figure it out". rarely do you get a boss who is happy to re-affirm someone rather then not deal with them.

#16 Post by **Kyocera** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:19 pm

I agree that asking outright is good, but I'll use the example of the t30 memory slot problem (just for an example I know this is the t4x conference). Forum members come and go, some with a great deal of specfic knowledge of one particular era of models. When they leave that expertise remains here, there are still people asking about the memory slot issue on the t30 because they are still being sold, a search would dig up every issue related to that problem which would answer the question. If it didn't then at least you could weed through it and get to a more specific question. That's all, really. I have seen post's go unanswered recently that I know for a fact have been posted maybe a year or more ago, but I get slammed for saying stuff like "if you search you may find X about X".

Temetka · #17 Post by **Temetka** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:32 pm

There was no slamming from what I can tell. It may ahve been phrased btter if it was said:

"Did you use the search function? I ask because no recent threads have covered your topic and our members stop by on very irregular schedules."

See how that works? Very civil, not condescending, and easy to work with. Certainly far better than "Use the search function."

The search function is there to look for answers. Our users are here to provide a community of support for people who stop by to look for answers. We should make both available in the same manner without favoring one over the other.

#18 Post by **Kyocera** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:42 pm

Oh trust me I have been slammed for asking people to use the search function, and really did it in a "I know you'll find the answer because I remember reading it a while back" manner. I read more threads than the average user for moderation purposes and remember a lot of them. I don't think underclocker, who is a helpful and knowledgeable longtime contributing member meant it in a condescending way at all. A couple of months ago "I" asked where a question and rkawakami (in a joking way of course) said "why here it is I just used the search function with the blah blah, blah.....no one is immune to being steered in the right direction. It's how you perceive it that makes it what it is.

This forum is for all users, don't sweat the small stuff right off the bat and you'll find it's not only a good place to hang out and learn, but you'll also meet some great people who share a common interest.....one of them is thinkpads.

#19 Post by **rkawakami** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:58 pm

Kyocera wrote:A couple of months ago "I" asked where a question and rkawakami (in a joking way of course) said "why here it is I just used the search function with the blah blah, blah.....

I wasn't joking.

<nods head up and down>

<shakes head side to side>

<nods head up and down>

(Eddie Izzard reference

)

Generally when I answer a question after searching the archives for the poster, I will tell them what search terms I've used and how I performed the search. I hope that this does two things at once: 1) I provide the answer that they were looking for and, 2) inform them on how the board search functions work (or don't). Many times I do not know the answer off the top of my head but know it's been asked fairly recently.

#20 Post by **Kyocera** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:03 pm

[censored], now I have to google this eddie character

nutjobox · #21 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:23 pm

nobody has said condescending ideas or anything of the sort (this seems like a mature forum), and even if they did i really dont care myself. i, just in general, believe the 'use the search' answer to be very unnecessary and plain obvious. it doesnt make sense, because the time spent posting that answer could be better used by posting the real, useful answer.

i do think the "use the search terms *blank* and *blank*" is OK. its quick for the poster, and the person needing help still gets a direct answer; and nobody can cry that there are 50 threads exactly the same.

ps- case in point- if someone simply replied "include the term 'cdc' in a bluetooth search" i would have immediately been able to find my answer in this thread- http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... etooth+t40

#22 Post by **JaneL** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:28 pm

nutjobox wrote:it doesnt make sense, because the time spent posting that answer could be better used by posting the real, useful answer.

Ah, but some of us operate on the "give a man a fish; teach a man to fish" notion.

nutjobox · #23 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:31 pm

nonny wrote:
Ah, but some of us operate on the "give a man a fish; teach a man to fish" notion.

i was raised on that principle. its called "no confrontation equals easier life for the parents"

#24 Post by **underclocker** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:01 pm

Holy crap, you step away for a few minutes and what a mess.

I suggested the search function because no one else had replied and I can't exactly remember the two current seven character IBM FRU numbers for the exact adapters that will work in your machine. Plus I don't exactly remember the exact URL to find the specific software / driver that you'll need.

Sorry I ddin't take the time to research this for you and post it.

Plus, invariably, there will be follow up questions that have already been answered. You can see many threads that start this way, with questions already answered in similar posts. More questions come and by the time the person really needs help with something not easily available via search, nobody wants to help.

Everybody is very friendly and helpful on this forum. I was trying to help, too. In fact in my first post, I welcomed you, told you the BT upgrade was easy, told you approx. what it would cost, told you about antenna options, and informed you about a WiFi adapter upgrade with pricing.

nutjobox · #25 Post by **nutjobox** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:46 pm

hi underclocker. i never said you did anything wrong i just stated my belief on that answer. you did suggest to search for bluetooth under t40 forums, i appreciate that but the result gave me 983 matches thats all im sayin.

so im going to sum up what i know. i need a bmdc200 or bmdc200revB, the card is actually the laptop's 56k modem with bluetooth integrated, i can shove the little bluetooth antenna right under the keyboard, i will likely need the latest bios upgrade prior to installation. im going to do that, so if its knockin anyone off their seat they can let me know otherwise.

thanks!

Hello. New T40 owner, Opinions Questions and Rants

Hello. New T40 owner, Opinions Questions and Rants

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